Yeah, I'm on here way more than I train. Nothing wrong with that I reckon. I learned more here about the wider world of MA than I could have learned in a hundred lessons in any single MA. Sure, I don't learn MA from this forum but I do learn about MA here.

Time here doesn't detract from time training. Locked to a keyboard and screen for 8 hours/day....the forum is in the background. The way I look at it, the background 'noise', or chatter, of folks interested in MA makes my workday go by faster.

I don't consider 'forum time' related to training at all. Once I 'unplug' from here, it's on to the rest of life's chores but always in the back of my mind I'm mulling over some aspect of MA. Still...it isn't training. (Unless...one considers the act of staying mentally focused on MA a type of training.)

When I have the personal time to do what I want...I fit in some exercise here and there, or work on katas, or do drills. But I still don't consider that 'training'.

I don't lie to myself....'training' time is physical work done in the dojo and in the company of others. Everything else is an opportunity to prepare for training.

My actual training time is limited to 4 dojo hours a week. However, I'm more fortunate than others. That 4 hours is basically one-to-one with a teacher, and very directed learning.

Quote:How many people on this forum devote more time to it, then to their actual training?

Here, we get to hone our ideas through discussions, debate and the occasional argument. By offering our views, engaging we are better able to present them.

We encounter others with different views, experiences, and though perhaps never meet them in person, you get a small glimpse of their perspectives, views. Through that, I hope I learn more clarity of my views.... (half baked though they often are...) or at least how to presentthem more effectively.

The forum is very much training, how to present concepts, ideas clearly IMHO... more here than physical training not likely.

I must take issue with the statement that "time here does not detract from training time." In my opinion this is only valid if you only use the forum while you are already doing something that keeps you from training.

Spending time doing something means you do not have that time to spend doing something else.